"Tremble and Do Not Sin"

"Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent" (Psalm 4:4).

The Bible says, "Tremble and do not sin" (Psalm 4:4). However, this command from God is very difficult to apply in our lives. Specifically, the word "tremble" is impossible to follow without a heart that fears God. The Bible says, "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil" (Proverbs 8:13). Therefore, when we face temptation, we should resist it and not sin, just as this verse instructs. We know that we should do this, but our sinful nature, when faced with temptation, tends to want to get closer to it little by little. When we observe this tendency in ourselves, we cannot help but question whether we truly have that "trembling" in our hearts.

When is it easy for us to sin? It is when we are in "distress" that we are most likely to sin (Psalm 4:1). The psalmist David was in distress because of "his son Absalom" (Psalm 3) and "my adversaries" (v. 1) or "all my enemies" (v. 7). However, the distress that troubled David the most was when "many are saying of me, 'God will not deliver him'" (v. 2). We face the same thing. If many people tell us, "You cannot get help from God," we, in the midst of our struggles, can easily become discouraged by these voices. Furthermore, we might stop seeking God's help and instead turn to people for assistance, committing a sin in the process. Moreover, we could even end up complaining against God and, in some cases, leaving God's church altogether.

What sin is easy to commit when we are in distress? It is the sin of "dishonoring the glory of God" (Psalm 4:2). How can we dishonor the glory of God? We can think of two ways:

(1) We can dishonor God's glory by loving vanity and pursuing lies.

Look at the second half of Psalm 4:2: "... who love vanity and seek after lies." In times of difficulty, we often fail to wait for God's help and are easily drawn toward vanity and lies. In the end, we can dishonor God's glory.

(2) We can dishonor God's glory by committing injustice and not trusting in Him.

Look at Psalm 4:5: "Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord." When we face difficulties and fail to trust in God, and do not wait for His righteous help, we are at risk of relying on ourselves and committing injustice.

So, what should we do in times of difficulty?

First, we must tremble and not sin.

Look at the first half of Psalm 4:4: "Tremble, and do not sin..." Some scholars associate this verse with Ephesians 4:26, which says, "In your anger, do not sin." Therefore, they teach that even when we are angry, we must tremble with reverence for God and avoid sinning.

Second, we must speak in our hearts.

Look at the second half of Psalm 4:4: "... when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent." We need to approach the Lord in a quiet time, in a quiet place, with a quiet heart, and deeply meditate on God's Word. During that time, we should yield to allow God's Word to speak to our souls.

Finally, we must remain silent.

Look again at the second half of Psalm 4:4: "... when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent." We must learn to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). We must also recognize that trusting in God is our strength (Isaiah 30:15). Therefore, in times of difficulty, we must tremble and not sin (Psalm 4:4).

In the life where I come to realize that I am the worst of sinners, I long to be immersed in God's greater love and grace.

Pastor James Kim
(With gratitude for God's grace)